Both empathy and compassion fatigue can lead to feelings of numbness or distancing, and difficulty continuing to care. The practitioner may feel overwhelmed, powerless or hopeless. They may no longer be able to relate to others and may even isolate from others as a result. This may mean avoiding clients (not answering phone calls or emails) or avoiding people in general (including friends and family). Practitioners may feel a range of negative emotions, including feeling angry, sad, depressed, tense, or agitated. Practitioners may engage in self-blame or reduced confidence in their own abilities. They may feel unable to respond appropriately to what’s happening around them (professionally and personally).
This not only leads to the practitioner being unable to effectively support others in conflict, it can also lead to the practitioner not being able to manage their own conflict and everyday social interactions.
These psychological impacts can also lead to physical symptoms including headaches, upset stomach, difficulty sleeping, changes in appetite, and feeling exhausted all the time.